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Get to know our family of directors and associates from across all of our ministries.
Executive Director / Leadership Development And Discipleship Director / Center For Biblical Leadership
Director / Accredited Ministries Development /
President / Spirit & Life Seminary
Director / International Children’s Ministries
Director / Youth Ministries International
Instructor / Center For Biblical Leadership
Leadership Development and Discipleship serves Church of God of Prophecy ministry and laity. Our ministries encompass Accredited Ministry Development (higher education), Spirit & Life Seminary, the Center for Biblical Leadership (ministerial training), International Children’s Ministries, and Youth Ministries International.
Church of God of Prophecy International Offices
Leadership Development and Discipleship
PO Box 2910
Cleveland, TN 37320-2910
423-559-5100
ldd@cogop.org
Church of God of Prophecy International Offices
Leadership Development and Discipleship
P O Box 2910
Cleveland TN 37320-2910
423-559-5100
ldd@cogop.org
Executive Director / Leadership Development And Discipleship Director / Center For Biblical Leadership
Kathryn H. Creasy served the Church of God of Prophecy for more than 26 years as International Children’s Ministry director. She brought to that assignment considerable children’s ministry experience at both the local church and regional level.
Her passion for developing leaders was birthed out of her call to serve children. In her first ministry role as regional children’s ministry director, Kathy saw the need for children’s ministers to be skilled in ministry and leadership, prompting her to organize her first children’s ministry conference at the age of 21. During her tenure as international children’s ministry director, Kathy developed effective ministry and leadership training resources and built strong mentoring relationships with leaders in more than 50 nations. Recognition by international leadership of Kathy’s passion, experience, and skill led to her appointment as Executive Director of Leadership Development and Discipleship.
She earned a Master of Science degree from George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. She taught in public schools in Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia. She is a licensed minister with the Church of God of Prophecy.
Kathy and her husband Rick live in Cleveland, TN. Their older son Lee has two young daughters, Elodie and Amelia and resides in Denver, Colorado. Their younger son Clint and his wife Charis have two young children, Callum Decker and Florence. They reside in a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Kathy’s joy is working with continental, national, and regional leadership to develop and implement strategies that will identify, equip, and release developing leaders.
Director / Accredited Ministries Development /
President / Spirit and Life Seminary
Dr. Michael Hernandez serves as the Director of Accredited Ministry Development- the division of higher education for the International Offices of the Church of God of Prophecy.
In this role, he coordinates the higher education initiatives of the church, partnering with institutions to provide educational opportunities for ministers of the Church of God of Prophecy worldwide. He also serves as the Director of Spirit and Life Seminary, a new institution of the Church of God of Prophecy.
Dr. Hernandez was appointed as the Director of Accredited Ministry Development in 2018. Immediately after his appointment, he was tasked with meeting the requirements for the Church of God of Prophecy to establish a new institution of higher learning focused on ministerial preparation and theological studies. On November 7, 2019, Spirit and Life Seminary was authorized by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to operate and provide the Certificate in Ministry and Theological Studies. Spirit and Life Seminary is currently in process of seeking certification from the Association for Hispanic Theological Education.
Dr. Hernandez previously served as the World Language Coordinator, managing the translation of the White Wing Messenger, Sunday School material, and the publications and correspondence of the International Offices. He also served on the Assembly Task Force, coordinating the simultaneous interpretation of the International Assembly in Spanish, French, and Russian.
Prior to working at the International offices, Dr. Hernandez was the director for a mental health center with locations in Cleveland and Athens, TN that provided therapy, case management, and medication management services to children, teenagers, and adults. He has experience working in inpatient mental health, substance abuse, and geriatric units, as well as intensive outpatient mental health and substance abuse units, and providing inhome therapy services and counseling in church settings.
Dr. Hernandez is an ordained bishop, a state-licensed and national certified counselor, and has served the body of Christ on staff as a worship leader and associate pastor. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Hawaii at Hilo, a Master of Science
in Mental Health Counseling from Lee University, a Master of Divinity from the Pentecostal Theological Seminary, and the Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Dr. Hernandez was raised in a pastoral home. His parents were called to plant Spanishspeaking and English-speaking churches in California and Hawaii. This experience contributed to his passion for the church and to bless families through the ministry of counseling. He enjoys teaching, reading, and playing guitar. His wife Kara is also trained as a counselor and is an elementary school teacher. They are members at Peerless Road Church of God of Prophecy.
Director / International Children’s Ministries
Dr. Shaun McKinley serves as the international director of Children’s Ministries, administrative liaison to the general overseer, public relations coordinator, and Prayer Ministries coordinator for the Church of God of Prophecy International Offices in Cleveland, Tennessee.
Shaun is an ordained bishop with the Church of God of Prophecy. He is a graduate of the University of the Cumberlands, having earned a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies with a concentration in Ministry and Missions (2021). He also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing (Bryan College, 2014) and a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations degree (Montana State University, 2000).
He serves as an adjunct instructor with Oral Roberts University, Trevecca Nazarene University, and Belhaven University, where he was recognized in 2019 with the university’s Faculty Excellence Award. Along with his wife, Stephanie, Shaun serves as a preschool minister at the Peerless Road Church, also in Cleveland. He is the secretary of the Prayer Commission for the Pentecostal-Charismatic Churches of North America, as well as immediate past president and current Secretary of the Historical Society of Church of God Movements. Shaun has served on the COGOP International Assembly Task Force for sixteen years.
Called to serve children at the age of 13, Shaun has been active in children’s ministry for 30 years serving in multiple roles, including children’s pastor of the Peerless Road Church (2005-2006), administrative assistant in International Children’s Ministries of the Church of God of Prophecy (2002-2003), and as age-level editor (preschool through elementary ages) for One Accord Sunday School curriculum (2009-2012). Shaun is the cohost of the Developing Leaders, Impacting Kids podcast.
Shaun is passionate about serving God by developing leaders. He has had many opportunities to serve in professional and ministry roles, where this passion has been expressed and developed. He has traveled much of the US and the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Africa, and Europe, ministering and presenting practical ministry training to children’s ministers, youth ministers, and church communicators.
Shaun and his wife Stephanie have three daughters, Reagan, Madison, and Kennedy.
Director / Youth Ministries International
Kirk Rising serves as International Youth Director for the Church of God of Prophecy. In his 28- year ministry, he has served as state youth director of Hawaii and North Carolina. He has served as youth pastor and as missionary to the countries of Germany and French Polynesia (Tahiti) in the South Pacific.
Kirk studied business administration at the University of South Carolina. His business career includes owner of High Rise Sports and serving as head coach of the French Polynesia, Olympic Qualifying basketball program in Tahiti.
Instructor / Center For Biblical Leadership
Elias T. Rodriguez was born March 12, 1958, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the second of seven children of Bishop Tulio and Adela Rodriguez. In 1973, Bishop Tulio was appointed as national overseer for the Church of God of Prophecy in Peru, South America. Fifteen-year-old Elias accompanied the family to Lima. He served in ministry alongside his father for three years while finishing high school. In 1976, he returned to the Dominican Republic to continue his university studies and in 1984 graduated from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo with a Doctor of Dentistry degree. He practiced in that field until 1993 when he immigrated to New York where he gained permanent residency status in 1998 and became a naturalized US Citizen in 2003.
While Elias was in Peru (1975), he sensed his call into pastoral ministry. In 1995, he was appointed to a pastorate in Calhoun, Georgia, where he served for 15 years. It was while in this pastorate that he was assigned an additional responsibility, that of overseer for the South East Hispanic Region, one of the three main administrative divisions of the Church’s work in the United States.
He served in this position from 2007 to 2010 when he was appointed to the
Leadership Development and Discipleship Center for Biblical Leadership (CBL) as a member of the CBL Faculty (CBL Instructor).
Elias’ academic preparation includes a Doctor of Dentistry degree from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in 1984, a Master of Divinity degree from Church of God Theological Seminary (now Pentecostal Theological Seminary) in 2007 and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2014. Elias has traveled and taught extensively throughout Latin America, Western Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, North America, and Africa. He served as a member of the Church’s Assembly Committee for Biblical Doctrine and Polity from 2006 to 2018.
When not directly engaged in his teaching and writing ministry, Elias enjoys being outdoors and reading. He married the former Maria E. Vargas in 1983. They have three children: Laramie (wife, Melissa) who has given Elias and Maria their first grandchildren, Abisai and Isaac and Elyssa; another son, Mederic (wife Cinthya), and daughter, Genevieve (husband Chris Simmons). Dr. Rodriguez and his wife live in Calhoun, Georgia.
Accreditation Coordinator / Spirit & Life Seminary
Dr. Michael Plumley joined the Leadership Development and Discipleship ministries in the fall of 2017 working in Accredited Ministry Development in the area of Assessment and Accreditation after more than forty years as a veteran educator. In addition to his years in the public schools of Georgia and Tennessee, he has also served as adjunct instructor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the Director of Planning and Accountability in the School of Education at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), and for a short time was Assistant Professor of Education at William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Dr. Plumley has served as consultant for accreditation at Ole Miss, West Texas A & M University, and at William Carey University. He has served on the Accreditation Council for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and on the Accreditation Council for the Council for Accreditation of Professional Educators (CAEP) in Washington, D. C.
He holds an Associate Degree in Elementary Education from Tomlinson College, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Lee University, a Masters of Education in Administration / Supervision from Trevecca Nazarene University, and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee.
Dr. Plumley has been a member of the Church of God of Prophecy for over fifty years and currently serves the Peerless Road Church on the Finance and Administrative committee. He has acknowledged a call to ministry and received his minister’s certificate in 2019.
Business Office Manager / Accredited Ministries Development / Spirit & Life Seminary
Katherine first came to work at the International Offices while attending Tomlinson and Lee Colleges. She returned, almost 30 years later in 2009, to work as a bilingual secretary for the Center for Biblical Leadership. Her focus on the partnership between the Church of God of Prophecy and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary prepared her for her current responsibilities as Business Office Manager for Accredited Ministry Development and Spirit and Life Seminary.
She has been passionate about education and training since becoming a Christian at the age of 15. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education in Oregon. In 2008, Katherine made the leap of faith to go back to school to work on her Master’s Degree in Religion with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and graduated magna cum laude in 2016. She is currently working on a Doctor of Ministry Degree with Western Theological Seminary. (Don’t know how you want to update it here; I have successfully completed my doctoral defense and am set to graduate April 30, 2022.)
Katherine has worked as a public-school teacher, substitute teacher, and adult educator. Before coming to Cleveland, she was an administrator at a small Christian school in Texas for 10 years.
Her desire is to see God’s people equipped for service in His kingdom.
Project Manager / Leadership Development And Discipleship
At the age of 15 years old, Antonio Orona was called by God at a teen camp into ministry. Serving in multiple areas helped him realized that he had a passionate heart for people Antonio desire is to help others know who Jesus is and so that they can be committed to living a life with Him.
Antonio has a B.S degree from California State University of Los Angeles in Fire Protection Administration and a Master degree in Leadership and Community Development from California Baptist University. He is also currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at the Pentecostal Theological Seminary in Cleveland, TN.
He has had the privilege to serve as the Youth Pastor at the COGOP Riverside Church in Riverside, CA from 2014 to 2019. He has helped served the youth ministry in the state of California from various areas such as teaching, preaching, and serving as a camp counselor at teen camps for 6 years. Currently he is pursuing his minister license with the Church of God of Prophecy.
He is married to his lovely wife Lilly Orona and together they have a one year old son named Isaiah Orona.
Currently Antonio is a project manager for the Leadership Development and Discipleship department, managing and organizing various projects in different platforms. He is also a volunteer firefighter for Tri-Community Fire Department in Ooltewah, TN.
Accredited Ministries Development / Spirit And Life Seminary
Albert Murza serves as the Registrar and Media Manager for Accredited Ministry Development.
He was born and raised in Moscow, Russia, and his father is Misha Murza, overseer of Russia COGOP. At 18, he moved to Germany to study at European Theological Seminary.
In 2016, he married Kristen Murza and moved to Cleveland, TN, serving as youth leaders at Peerless Road church and as youth pastors at Spring Place COGOP. Since March 2022, Albert and Kristen have been serving as youth pastors at Hickory Valley Community Church.
Albert Murza received his ministry license with the Church of God of Prophecy in 2019.
He is currently enrolled at Pentecostal Theological Seminary pursuing the Master of Divinity degree with the Biblical Studies concentration and will graduate in May of 2022.
Admissions And Marketing Manager / Accredited Ministries Development / Spirit And Life Seminary
Steven Hodge is the Admissions and Marketing Manager for Spirit & Life Seminary and the department of Accredited Ministry Development. Steven oversees the admissions process for all new applicants seeking higher education. Steven also heads the promotion and marketing initiatives for partnered schools, global cohorts, and various degree programs.
Steven grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and moved to Cleveland, TN, to begin working at the International Offices in 2021. Steven is bilingual and served as a lay minister at the Elizabeth Spanish Church of God of Prophecy. While serving in Elizabeth, Steven took on the role of youth pastor, event coordinator, and instructor for his region’s bible institute. Steven also served the Spanish Northeast Region as the assistant chief of operations for the Spanish Northeast Region Children’s Camp from 2012 to 2018.
Steven earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Seton Hall University and is currently enrolled at Pentecostal Theological Seminary pursuing a Master of Theological Studies in Pentecostal Theology. Steven enjoys music and has played in orchestras and jazz bands. He states that his personal motto is “Always be learning – God has given me the ability to learn, and I plan on using it.”
In 2021, Steven was sent forth by Pastor Collazo and his local congregation at Peerless Road Church ‘Casa de Refugio’ and is currently pursuing licensure in the Church of God of Prophecy. In 2022, Steven married the intelligent, beautiful, and kind love of his life, Alejandra Guajardo.
Training Specialist / International Children’s Ministries
At the age of fourteen, Joy said, “Yes!” to God’s call to serve and minister to kids. Since then, she has actively served in churches, camps, and various ministry environments both locally and internationally. Joy is the Associate Pastor of Children at her local church, Spring Place Church. While at Spring Place, she has had the opportunity to remodel and build a children’s ministry that is a safe and sacred place for kids to attend. She believes with her whole heart that children are indeed a blessing from God and that they are mighty arrows being released into the world (Psalm 127).
In July of 2016, Joy completed her Master of Arts degree in Ministry Studies from Lee University. Currently, she also serves part-time at the International Offices as the Training Specialist for International Children’s Ministries. She is most passionate about helping children and adults see the value of theology in ministry to kids. Joy’s idea of fun includes traveling, reading, working out, and laughing with the people she loves.
Executive Administrative Assistant / Leadership Development And Discipleship
At 22, a year after Alejandra became a Christian, she felt God calling her to pursue theological studies. In response to this call, she transferred from Texas A&M International University to Lee University in Cleveland, TN, to follow God’s vision for her.
Alejandra earned a B. A. in Biblical and Theological Studies from Lee University and an M. A in Theological Ethics from the same Institution. In 2019, she received the Zeno C. Tharp award, which is given annually to the Lee University senior who shows the greatest promise of making a significant contribution to the Church.
Alejandra has served as the translator and editor of several publications, including the quarterly newsletter El Camino produced by His Fullness Ministries and the Ministerial Development Department at Lee University. She worked at Lee University’s School of Religion as a teaching and research assistant for Christian ethics courses and at Lee University’s Squires library during her graduate education.
In the past, Alejandra has been involved in several ministries such as Bridge Ministries, Hunger Rescue, and Church at the Park in Laredo, Texas. Alejandra loves to participate in the local church. She functions as a mentor at NCCOG Collegiate Group and as a music minister at New Covenant Church of God. Alejandra is also a member of the Society of Pentecostal Studies, the Latin American Theological Fraternity (FTL), and Theta Alpha Kappa National Honors Society.
She has a passion for education, the practice of hospitality toward immigrant communities, and peace and reconciliation studies. Alejandra also served as a Church of God missionary in the Balkans after completing her undergraduate degree and has remained in partnership with that field since.
Alejandra has been married to Steven Hodge since January of 2022.
Project Coordinator / International Children’s Ministries
Leslie Green began ministering at her local church and summer youth camps before she was 12 years old. Since then, God has blessed her with opportunities to minister as a children’s ministry director and youth ministry coordinator as well as serving in various roles in camping ministry, conventions and ministry training in North America. She’s also travelled internationally on mission teams and as a trainer for children’s ministry conferences.
Leslie is thrilled to work alongside a few of the most passionate leaders in children’s ministry. She currently serves as children’s pastor at Keith Street Ministries in Cleveland, Tennessee. Her heart is full as she watches the children grow in their relationship with Christ and knowledge of His Word.
Youth Ministries Assistant / Youth Ministries International
“I am a native to Cleveland, Tennessee. I have worked for the Church of God of Prophecy for eight years. I have a bachelors degree in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
My husband Elliott and I have been married for six years; and we have been blessed with three amazing sons, Elijah (5), Noah (3), and Levi (2). My hobbies are cooking, decorating and spending time with my family.
